Lindy hop was the dance craze of the 1930’s–1950’s: an energetic and fun partner dance done to uplifting swing music. Blues dance lets the dancers enjoy and express themselves to the slow groove of blues songs.

This five-week workshop teaches the fundaments of lindy hop and blues: rhythm, musicality and communication with the partner. The focus is on establishing strong foundations in both dances, and finding the fun and relaxation of dancing. The dancers will learn both basic steps and patterns, and different variations. No previous dance experience is needed for this beginner-level class, and you can register with or without a partner.

Clyde and Malin Wilder are international experts in jazz dance tradition and will be teaching the Savoy-style lindy hop, based on the social dance styles of the legendary Savoy Ballroom that flourished in New York’s Harlem in 1926–1959 and is known as the home of the swing dance crazes of its time. In the workshop, we will dance to the grooviest swing, RnB and blues music of the earlier half of the 20th century.

Classes will be held on five Sundays at Kääntöpaikka / Arabia Community Houses in Intiankatu 1, 00560 Helsinki.

Schedule:

February 11th, 2–4 PM

February 18th 2–4 PM

February 25th 2–4 PM

March 4th 2–4 PM

March 11th 1:30–3:30 PM

Each class is 1,5 hours, followed by 30 minutes for free social dancing, or socializing over a cup of coffee and tea (will be provided).

Price:

5 weeks: 80 € / 140 € for a couple.

One day: 20 € / 35 € for a couple.

(A discount of 10 € is available for members of Helsinki Traditional Jazz Dance Society ry, or current students from the Kääntöpaikka dance class, and applies for the 5-week class only.)

We are excited to announce our upcoming tour in the Finnish archipelago!

On April 4th, Clyde Wilder and Malin Grahn-Wilder invite the audience at Åland Islands on a historical journey through the development of jazz from West Africa to the U.S., through plantations to juke joints and ballrooms. The journey continues all the way to the Nordic countries, where during the glory days of Charleston and other jazz crazes, people created their own variations of movements that have a long history in the African diaspora.

At the end of the show, the audience will get the change to learn some fun and rhythmical jazz dance steps with the performers in an introductory workshop.

The show is hosted by Nordens Institute på Åland, and performed together with the Åland-based jazz band Red Beans & Rice.

On April 8th, we welcome you to the Saari residence in the beautiful Turku Archipelago. Malin Grahn-Wilder and Clyde Wilder’s lecture-demonstration “Freedom Movement” explores emotions and movement in the African American dance tradition.

Jazz is often called ‘freedom music’ because of the space it opens for the musician’s own freedom of expression. The same holds for the traditional jazz dance, which is at the same time individual and connecting, enabling an immediate communication between the dancers. The lecture-demonstration shows how still today, the language of jazz unites people over cultural and racial differences.

Saturday 15.11. is full of dancing! It is also the restaurant day and you can enjoy tea, coffee and tea with the dances!

1 PM: Reflections of Jazz at Theater Museum. A dance show and work shop for the entire family. The show takes you on a rhythmical journey to Africa and from there to the United States, and guides you through the golden decades of jazz. The audience does not have to sit still: the performers needs your help to create rhythms and, at the end, to join the dance with them. From 3 years of age.

From 5 PM: House Rent Party – charity ball at the idyllic Bokvillan in Arabia, Helsinki. Dance performances and the traditional tea dance ball by Helsinki Traditional Jazz Dance Society ry. This year we pay attention to homelessness as a global problem and donate all the profits to the Red Cross of Finland.

Reflections of jazz, a performance for the entire family takes you on a rhythmical journey to Africa and from there to the United States, and guides you through the golden decades of jazz. The audience does not have to sit still: the performers needs your help to create rhythms and, at the end, to join the dance with them. Come and experience the storytelling through steps and rhythms, and explore the joy of dancing!

The performance and workshop are suitable for everybody starting from 3 years of age, and are conducted in Finnish and English, but all the parts will translated into Finnish.

Performed and taught by dancers Clyde Wilder (USA) and Malin Grahn-Wilder (Fin).

1. Performance at Theater Museum, Helsinki, on Friday October 17th at 10 AM. A part of the program the Hop Helsinki 2014 Dance Festival:

Want to learn how to tap dance but don’t own a pair of tap shoes? The good news is…You don’t need a pair of tap shoes to learn tap dancing. It’s all about the rhythm you can create with your body.

At our upcoming Shoft Shoe Weekend, we will be spending lots of time tapping into the elegance as well as the subtle yet profound sounds and movements of shoft shoe tap dance. All you need is a pair of shoes with harder soles and we’re good to go!

We will be conducting classes for two levels:

Beginner (Sat & Sun at 13:00)

Beginner Intermediate (Sat & Sun at 15:30)

Participants who would like to challenge themselves further or would like to strengthen their basics in tap dance are highly encouraged to register for both levels.